Egg tray and turner for incubators



.131116,1923. L. VANDE BRAKE 1,442,245.

EGG TRAY AND TURNER FOR INCUBATORS.

FILED APR. 22. 1922. ZISHEETS-SHEET l.

J an. 16, 1923.

L vANDE BRAKE. 1,442,245..

EGG TRAY AND TURNER FOR INCUBATORS. FILED APR. 22. 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@Hoz nm A pose the provision of a tray of the character Y Patented Jan. 16, 1923.v

UNITED STATES LEONARD VANDE BRAKE, .OF OVRA'N'GEk CITY, IOWA. c

` EGG TRAY AND TURNER ronINcUBAToRs.

Appiicatiqn sied April 22, 1922, serial N0l`5'5s,o3o i T 0 all whom t may concern) Be it 'known that I, LEONARD VANDE BRAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Orange City, in the county of Sioux Y' and Stateof Iowa'phave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg Trays and Turners for Incubators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

AThe present invention has for its 'purand for the purpose indicated, wherein a plurality of revoluble rodsare mounted iny bearings 'of the tray, and employed for imparting uniform revoluble'movementsto the,`

eggs, in combination with means for rotating' all the rods simultaneously and in' thesame direction,

` YAnother `purpose may be turned in either direction, preferably end over end'. This maybe accom# plished by providing means to prevent the rods, may beremovedfrom either side of plates through which the rods pass, lthe being used as spacers. Furthermore in con-` nection with turmng the eggs end over end,Vv it is theA aim to place the eggs on the' rods,

Yso that they are in staggered positions, the purpose being to permit one row of eggs to keep the other row in alignment and vice versa. Still Vanother an egg traygwherein a screen is employed beneath the revoluble rods, in order Yto sup` port the chicks when hatched, when the incubator is without a nursery; However,

.when a nursery is employed, the, screen' otherwise usually employed beneath the the tra allowing ythe chicks to drop between t e rods into lthe nursery. vAlso if the, incubatorfis without a nursery, the screenl Vmay be' placedon thetop of thejrods, so as to `male anordinai'y tray, that is an ordinary tray for the support of eggs tobe hatched,

without imparting lrevo'luble movements tof the eggs.C

Still `a furtherlpurpose is the provision v of means ,consistingvv of amemberfto be supportedv onf ay cross piece ofthe egg turner` or tray, so thatshould there be 'a half a row 'off'eggs left, that [is to v'say when testing` is lthe provision of an.I egg `turner or Aegg tray, wherein the eggs l line 3-3 of the'tray; rods `from spreading atv their central portions. In other words this means comprises purpose is the provision of:

'Y whether `or* not the eggs are'lfertile," half row of eggs may be held vin position.

It 'is to b undffstod fhetpthe' particulars lherein, given are inno way limitative and that while still keeping within the scope of 4the invention, any desired modicationsoi' detail and desired proportions may be made inthe apparatusaccording to circumstances;l

t The'invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter set orth, shown in the drawings and claimed. ln thedrawingmfance with the invention, vshowing one enfd'of theframe ofthe tray brolgen away;

f Figure 2 'is an end vi w of the tray shown in Figure kl, showing the-endetV thetray partly broken away to yshow the operating means for the revolublerqds;

' Figure 3 is a-tr'ansverse sectional view onv Figure'll is a detail perspectiveviewof a i spacing member to vholda half row'of-eggs -in position plates being adjustable, and capable of .Figure 4a is a transverse sectional view so l" f similar to Figure 3, but showing Athe screen in position immediately under the rodszl;

Figure 5 is a 'sectionalview'transversely of the tray, showing [thesamey arranged abovev a'nursery, with the screen usually Vemployed below tlierods, removed;V

Figure `6. is a sectional view-transversely ot the trayjshowing the` screen. arrange uponthe rods; Y

Figure s an the revoluble rods differentv locatif n, inforder -to show the hook .bearings carried' by the frame, to hold the -screw or worm rod or `shaft in engagement with the gears whichr are'carried by' the`I revoluble rods; and, Y, "FigureQ, is ardetailviewI of one of the members to keep' the rotating rodsll from c spreading, and'which member maybe used as a spacer as'previously stated. Referring@ the drawings .1 ,des1enatesthe vfra1'ne 'o'f the eggtray,fwh1ch*may be any suitablejshapeand proportions,"fprefer vv'ably as show nfin sc far as the' Shapeisconenlarged detail sectional view through'fone` end or' the rameon line 7,-7 :of Figure 1, showing the V arrangement and construction ofthe means for rotating dec cerned. The frame may be constructed of any suitable Vmaterial preferably wood, vand comprising side and end rails 2 and 3.

Mounted in bearings of the end pieces 3 of the tray frame is Qa Lfplurality 'ofA revolublerods 4, and secured upon the corresponding ends of the rods by means of the pins 5,1are gears 6. As shown inFigure 7 one of the end pieces 3 of the egtray frame 4"is longitudinally recessed as shown at '7, for the receptio'n ofthe gears '6.' The gears i6 have collars through which the pins 5 'pass and through the iodsor 'shafts i, to securely fasten the gearsto the rods, Vandsince the 'collars bear against the perpendicular 'wallvof 1the recess T, the rods 4 willY be prevented Yfrom axial movement in one direction.

Wounted in suitable 'bearings 8 of the'tray fram@4 adjacent Vthe opposite ends of the "recess 7 is a worin 'or screwshaft 9, which meshes or enga'ges'with the gears 6, so that when' the worm or screw shaft 9 is rotated, slow gradual uniform revoluble movements vare imparted lto 'the plurality of 'rods 4 simultaneously. 'Obviously while the eggs are 'supported Vup'on the rods 4, they uni formly rotate,`as a result of the 'rotation of the rods, in 'order to insure proper hatching of the eggs. The thread of the 'worm or screw shaft or 'rod '9 is rounded in cross section, Aand the teeth of 'the rgears l6 are suicieritly'rounded on their edges, 'in .order to insure properr meshing of the vthread of the shaft?) 'withthegears 6. Owin'gto this construction 'of the 'worm or screw shaft, it

isunnecessary to have worm gears, which are more o'r lessv expensive. In :fact vordi- 'nar'y gea-rs maybe -used 'as the gears 6, in the 'actual'cons'truction of the machine.

In 'order to cover the plurality 'of gears` 6 and the worm or seiew shaft, and vto pro ftect 'them and keep out the dust, dirt and the like Ya. shieldorplate 10 vis fastened to the end rail 3 which has the longitudinal recess 7. In fact this shield or Y plate is made ofsheet metal land is angular in cross section, "and the lower portion of one of these flanges is secured to the/flower portion ofthe outer face of one of the end pieces 3 b'y means 'of 'screws' 11. It vwill 'be noted that the ends of the rods abut against the inner faoe the plate` l'1.0, andprevent--anial movement 'oftherods or shafts 's4 inthe op? v.posits direction. Itfwill be noted that the eggs'may rest upon the rods, with Vtheir lengths crosswise o'f the rods, and by im- ,parting a lrevoluble 'movement to the worm or screw shaft'9 by -means of a crfank 12,

, revoluble movements 'may be imparted tothe eggs, in order to insure proper hatching of the eggs ouhted upon the rods 4 are members 13,l

which are'in the form ofplates vprovided with openings. 14 ,for lthe frods, and 'aref de# signed to prevent the rods from. spreading v revoluble rods l1 -as shown inv Figure V21 the chick supporti'ng'soreen 20 l'may bejefrom either side offthe tray. t will"be Vaction 'between the vthread \and."`the gears,

at their central portions. In fact these members or plates are kdesigned -tohold the rods in. parallelism, and may also be used for spacing the eggs. Yrelativelyifloose "on the rods, so that they can assume angular positions relatively to the rods, in'orderto permit of a slight looseness of play between the eggs. The eggs are per- 'mittedto accommodate themselves to each other during their revolutie movements. y As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 'iegg' holders 15 are provided. Each holder comprises spaced flat arms at its vlower end and anu'pright strip at its upperend. kThe-"flat arms, v16 straddle 'the strip, 17, lwhereas the 'upright strip of said member 15 rises between adjacent rods, and is bent/ait 19, so asfto provide a lateraly arm 18. lVhen the Ah-olderl is lin applied position, thearm118 engagesthe'egg as shown in Figure 1, and ac'ts to hold a series or rows of eggs 'infp`ositio`n,^\vhentest ing as to fertility or infertility ofthe egs.

- In order to support the chicksfw en hatched ascreen 20 is arranged beneath )tie x I1 order to accomplish Vthis result, 'strips '21 aire engaged between the bars 17 ,and the screen 20, thereby forcing the screen up'agamstlthe rods 4. Obviously by removing 'the 'stripsw moved `from either side'of fthe t1-ay.' "For .instance the screenis more or 'less pliablefor flexible, and therefore, permitted to `-be slightly sprung, so asfto a'llow it to rbe pulled noted that Ither strips 4T21. 'be arranged These members 13 are inwardly of the ends ofthevtra'y,or arranged immediately adjacent,thefends,as shown 1n Figure 7. In .order to j'holdthe 'worm'shaft'o'r rod 9 in position. and ini mesh witlrall the`.'ge`ars 6,` for the purpose ofinsuringuniform"move-r ment ofthe rods 4. bolts'22 pass lupv'vaidly through one of the endstrips $3 of the 'frame V and have hooks Q3 at 'their upper ends overlying they shaft orvscrew, Y The Vlowerfendsof 'the bolts 2Q are .fprovi'ded vwith. n-iits Q4, 'so as to dfraw the hooks 23 securelyin engagement with lthe screw or shaft 9, Ythereby causing. the lthread or uteeth of the shaft "to firmly engage Atlfieftetlivof Ltheggears 6..l It is b- `nous um 'theboitess :maybe ajuste sufciently "to cause pressure ofthe hooks the screw or shaft`9,'s'o as-to cal'iseffa binding l thereby preventing zthe /o-peiratoffron tiilning "the rods 4 .too rapidly, "which wouldbe 4the case if "the imeshing 'of `-the f o'r lserew "'9 with Lthe gears. "should 'be`me-rflessiloose As-shown in AEigure thetray-isf'suppoted upon a nursery "tray, 4Vand "theexijble "screen 20 removed, 'so "that 'when the fhick'sfare' hatched, they may dropfhetweentherotls t .nary manner.` VIn fact the screen is removed from below the rods, and is yplaced upon the top of the'rods, and in this case thel screen supports the eggsv in the usual way. A. v A Y, 1

,The screw or shaft 9 has its thread interrupted at certain locations, as shown clearlyj ally, bra-Zed vor spot welded. `However they invention is not to be limite-d to this precise construction of the. screwor shaft 9, for or dinary screws or shafts of this charactercan be purchased from the open market, and in order to mount the screw or shaft in the manner shown, for instance by the bolts 22,.'

the thread of the screw maybe cut at certain locations and removed, so as to provide an interrupted thread ais-shown in the drawings. i. y Y l j yThe invention having been set forth, what is claimed is Y 1.*In an egg tray, a frame, a plurality of revoluble rods mounted in bearings of the yends of the frame and'upon which vthe Veggsare mounted for revoluble movement, and means comprising spacers adjustable and tiltable to assume angular positionsbetween the sides of the eggs, whereby said spacers may bind upon the rods forV preventinglr eX- cessive creeping movement of the eggs, and

to prevent spreading of the central portions of the rods. l

2.k In an egg tray, a frame, aplurality of revoluble'rocs mounted in bearings of the l ends of the frame and upon Awhich the eggs are mounted for revoluble movement end over end, and plates having openings at the ends of the plates through which the' rods loosely pass, whereby said plates may tilt and'bind `on the rods and act to prevent spreading of the rods. j 3. In an egg tray, a frame, a plurality of revoluble rods mounted in bearings of the frame, vcross pieces in the bottom of the frame, a screen beneath the rods, and means interposed between the screen and the cross pieces for holding the screen up vagainst the under portions of the rods, the frame of saidl screen being flexible, so asl to be slightly dis'- torted to permit the removal of the screen when the holding means are removed.

4. In an eggtray', a frame, revoluble rods upa 7@ mounted inbearingsthereof, cross pieces on the bottom of 'the frame, and a holder having spaced arms to straddle across piece and having a portion extending between the'rods,

said portion having'a lateral arm to contact with an egg'to hold a half a row of eggs in positionl when testing `the eggs.

5. In anv egg tray, a frame, revoluble rods mounted 1n bearings thereof, cross pieces on.

the bottom of fthe frame, holders" having spaced-arms to straddle saidcross pieces, each holder having a prtion `extending be,- tween the rods, vmeans carried by said .portion tocontact with an egg torhold a half a row of. eggsk in position when -testing the.

eggs, and means on one end of the frame and operatively connectmg with said rods for l rotating the' saine, whereby the eggs' may bev turned while testing them.

6. lIn anegg. tray, a frame, a plurality of,

revoluble rods mounted inbearings thereof, cross pieces von the bottom of the frame, a

screen beneath'the rods, bars adjustable to i lanyposition between the frame of the screen and said cross pieces for holding the screen ainst the under portions of the rods.` n an egg tray, a frame, a. plurality of revoluble rods mounted in'bearings-.thereof, cross pieces on the' bottom'of the frame, a-

screen beneath the rods, bars adjustable to any position between the frame of the screen and said cross pieces for holding the screen up against the under portions of the rods,V means on one end of the frame and opera# .v tively connecting with said rods for rotating fthem', the frame of said screen being flexible,

whereby it-may be slightly'distorted, to per mit the removal of theiscreen, whenl said holding bars are removed. j

8.- In anegg tray, a frame, revoluble `rods mounted in bearings thereof, plates having openings at their ends and through which the rods loosely pass, whereby said plates may tilt,

said plates when tilted binding on the rods while engaging between the eggs, to hold` certain of the eggs in position, means carried by one' end of the frame and operatively con-- nected to the rods forrotating them, cross pieces on` the bottom of the frame, a holder mounted on each cross pieceA and extending' v between the rods and provided with means at itsv upper end to engage with an egg to In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. j

lio hold a half a row of certainof theeggs in position when testingthem.

kLnormnn vANDE BRAKE. I 

